We had a similar conversation on Conch-L about 3 or 4 years ago.  At that
time I came down hard against WD-40.  However, after the dust settled I
decided to give it a try.  I have used it successfully on a number of
different shells with no apparent harm (so far).  I also use silicon but
find the lubricant spray types not always effective.  I do not think WD-40
would be effective in preserving a periostracum.  But I don't really know.
I have some Septaria (odd-ball nerites) that were collected in the fifties
(they were stored in an outside shed and when I got the collection a few
years ago, almost all of the data slips had been eaten by silver fish!).
The periostracum on these old, dried shells flakes off if you just look at
the shell too hard.  I haven't yet coated them with anything as I didn't
want to darken the color.  But I may try WD-40 as part of my on-going
experiment.  By the way, the reason the ingrediants are not listed (and
there is no patent) is the WD-40 folks don't want anyone else copying their
mixture.  The name WD-40 stands for water displacement formula number 40 and
this is the compnaies only product.

Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA


Leslie,

What are you personal thoughts about using WD40? I used it on
one shell to test because I heard other people saying it was good.
It is definitely easy to get ahold of and seems to work.
Since it lists no ingredients on the can, though, I'm a little wary.

Peter



At 12:36 PM 4/13/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi Gang,  While on the subject
>
>As a matter of personal taste I prefer:
>7  Baby Oil
>7  Silicone
>7  Ethylene Glycol
>
>Mineral Oil
>I do not like Mineral oil because Mineral oil can stain cloth (cloths,
table
>cloths, etc.), leaving a permanent oil mark, it often sticky to the touch
>since it does not superficially evaporate away, and as a strange sweet -
>rancid smell after many years.  Additionally since it is a bit sticky it
>collects dust and is hard to clean.
>
>Mineral oil is susceptible to growth of certain marine microbes, i.e. - the
>same class as those that are found naturally  and are hybridized to eat oil
>slicks.  Apparently they can remain dormant for years out side of the ocean
>and feed on mineral oil,  who know what this would do to the shell,
>packaging and labeling.  (source: US Geology Petroleum Institute - late
1980
> s or early 1990 s paper)
>
>Lighter Fluid
>As for mixing it with lighter fluid, it is a solvent, highly flammable, the
>fumes are toxic, and its effects on aragonite & calcium carbonate to my
>knowledge have never been studied.
>
>Paraffin Oil
>Paraffin is wax, so paraffin oil would be a natural wax based oil.
Paraffin
>is often derived from petroleum crude. I would suppose it would leave a
waxy
>coating an not be appropriate for textured and porous shells since it is
>probably a translucent rather than transparent liquid.  I would also assume
>it would take an additional bit of buffing for it to look right.
>
>Baby Oil
>Conversely, baby oil is a much lighter oil with a nice fragrance and will
>superficially evaporate, leaving a base oil coating.  I have hear that it
>can turn cloudy over time but have had no experience with it.  Large
bottles
>of baby oil can be bought for as low as $1.00 for non - Johnson & Johnson
>brands.
>
>Liquid Silicone
>Liquid Silicone is costly but has no odor, it doesn t break down over time
>like oils and is not sticky.  It acts as a moisture barrier locking in the
>moisture content of the shell.  The CS viscosity (Centre-quada Scope) of
the
>Silicone determine the permeability it will have on the shell. If it is too
>thick it will not soak into the shell and be strictly superficial.  Silicon
>does not have a safe solvent to tin it, an mixing of different CS s does
not
>really thin it either.  It becomes a mixture of different size silicone
>molecules.  It is like mixing two sizes of rocks together  the rocks do not
>become one size.
>
>Periostracum Preservation
>To preserve the periostracum, and this is especially good for Fresh Water
>Mussels, I use Ethylene Glycol.  It is one of the five Esters (Alcohols)
and
>is chemically half way between Ethanol & Glycerol.
>7  Methanol
>7  Isopropanol (Rubbing Alcohol)
>7  Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol)
>7  Ethylene Glycol
>7  Glycerol (Glycerin)
>
>An effective solution to not having to purchase it specifically is to mix
>50/50 Everclear (Ethanol) and Glycerin, shake well.  The solution will
>penetrate deep into the shell and into the periostracum.  The superficial
>evaporation of the Ethanol will in essence leave the Glycerol deep into the
>periostracum and shell nacre.
>
>Leslie